Means for automatically stopping railroad-motors.



E. F. ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING RAILROAD MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914. v

114/5 NORRIS FEI'ERS CO.. PHOTOVLITHDH WASHINGroN. D. c.

UNITED STATES EDWIN F. ENGLAND,

or NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING RAILROAD-MOTORS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN F. ENGLAND, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Bronx, city, county, and

State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Means for Automatically Stopping RailroadMotors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail road motors, either steam or electric, in connection with which an emergency brake system is used, and the object is to effect automatically the application of the emergency brake, should the motor attempt to pass a signal properly set to indicate that the road ahead is not clear or available.

The invention consists primarily in emergency brake release mechanism on the motor adapted to be actuated by a trip lever'on a semaphore or similar signaling device when the latter is set against further progress; and secondarily, in the specific construction and arrangement of partsdescribed and claimed whereby the parts of the brake setting mechanism are sustained in their proper relative positions, and whereby undue jar or concussion is avoided when such, mechanism is tripped by the signaling device, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a diagrammatic view illustrating the practical application of my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of my emergency brake release mechanism; Fig. 3, a detail view of the contact lever and its buffers; Fig. 4, a detail view ofthe release levers; andFig. 5 a detail view of the detent.

It is to be understood that by the term motor as used herein I mean to designate locomotives, electric motors or any power driven motor traveling on tracks and equipped with an emergency brake of any kind, air, vacuum, electric or otherwise.

M represents symbolically a rail road motor of any kind, on which my emergency brake release mechanism is installed in any suitable manner, preferably by inclosing it in a box B on the motor body,the only protruding parts being the outer end of the rock shaft S, the contact lever C, and the buffer C. i i

The contact lever C, is rigidly secured to the outer end of the rock shaft S, which latter is mounted in suitable bearings 72, b. The contact lever C, in its normal position is preferably inclined from the perpendicular Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed June 18, 1913.

Patented N0v.'3, 1914.

SeriaINo. 774,277.

and hence tends to turn the shaft, but this tendency to gravitate is counteracted by the detent D which sustains the rock shaft S and contact lever in said normalpositioh. The detent D may consist of apawl (Z, and

ratchet wheeld of ordinary construction or of any other suitable mechanical expedient,

that will admit of the turning of the shaft S in one direction while preventing its turn ing in the opposite direction. To limit the extent of motion in said opposite direction, and hence to limit the upward thrust of the contact lever G, the shaft S is provided with a pin or shoulder s, for contacting with a stop 6 on a bearingb, or other stationary part. The shaft S and contact lever C, being thus held in one direction by the detent D, while free to turn in the opposite direction within a prescribed limit, it is desirable to counteract any tendency to 'looseness or vibration within this limit, so as to maintain the contact lever C steadily in its normal position unless or until operated positively by a trip lever T, connected with a semaphore T or other signal device. For this reason I interpose a stilf coiled spring 5 between one of the bearings b, and a collar .9 on the shaft, and also provide the latter with another collar 8 which contacts with the other bearing 7), as shown in Fig. 2, thereby reinforcing and holding the shaft S, and contact lever C, by augmented frictional contact, firmly against accidental displacement while allowing the shaft S and contact lever C, to yield and turn when the latter encounters a trip lever T.

The protruding end of the trip lever T is preferably made circular in cross section, and may even consist of a cylindrical roller if desired, so as to reduce frictional resistance and render engagement with the contact lever C, as smooth as possibleyand in order to reduce, the jar of initial contact be tween trip lever T and contact lever C, the latter may be formed'with a buifer contact surface 0, between which and the body; of the leverC, are interposed a series of springs 0 ,01, which receive and neutralize the brunt of "impact. As a further means of mitigating the possible violence of encounter between the contact lever C, and trip lever T, shouldthe motor be traveling at a high rate of speed, I provide a buffer C to receive the extreme upward thrust of said contact lever G; and also connect the actuating arm or lever a, (rigidly secured to the rock shaft S) to the emergency brake release lever F, by means of an elastic resilient spring 6, which insures the gradual application of the brake and thus obviates the danger of instantaneous or sudden stoppage. Furthermore it may be noted in this connection that the steadying spring .9 also acts as a retarder or brake to counteract concussion and aid in gradually and gently transmitting to the emergency brake release arm E, the motion derived from the contact lever C, by reason of its engagement with and passage over a trip lever T. It is to be understood that the emergency brake release arm E, connects with, or is the means of actuating, any desired or known form of brake mechanism, either directly or indirectly as may be found most expedient.

By connecting the trip lever T with, and actuating it by means of, a semaphore or similar signal in such manner that the trip lever T is set for action when the signal set for danger or block, I obviously and effectually guard against danger from carele'ssness, indifference or incapability on the part of the engineer or motor man, since so long as the signal is set at danger the motor cannot pass the signal without automatically applying the emergency brake. And by my construction and arrangement of parts this can be accomplished gradually and safely, obviating jar and concussion.

W hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In combination with a motor and a rock shaft, a contact lever rigidly secured to the outer end of said rock shaft and normally inclined from a perpendicular, means sustaining the same in normal position, a trip lever for coeperation with said contact lever, and a spring on said shaft, an emergency brake release arm and a resilient con nection between the same and said rock shaft.

In combination with a motor and a rock shaft, a contact lever rigidly secured to the outer end of said rock shaft and normally inclined from a perpendicular, means sustaining the same in normal position, a trip lever for cotiperation with said contact lever, a spring on said shaft, an emergency brake release arm, a resilient connection between the same and said rockshaft, and a yielding buffer on said contact lever.

3.- In combination with a motor and a rock shaft, a contact leverrigidly secured to the outer end of said rock shaft and 1101'- inally inclined from a perpendicular, means sustaining the same in normal position, a trip lever for cooperation with said contact lever, a spring on said shaft, an emergency brake release arm, a resilient connection begency brake release arm, a spring connectingsaid arms, a contact lever rigidly connected with one end of said rock shaft, a spring coiled about the rock shaft with means for reinforcing and holding said shaft and contact lever, by augmented frictional contact, firmly against accidental displacement yet allowing the shaft and contact lever to yield and turn when the latter encounters a trip lever.

5. The combination with a motor and a rock shaft, of an actuating arm, an emergency brake release arm, a spring connecting said arms, a contact lever rigidly connected with one end of said rock shaft, a spring coiled about the rock shaft with. means for reinforcing and holding said shaft and contact lever, by augmented frictional contact, firmly against accidental displacement yet allowing the shaft and contact lever to yield and turn when the latter encounters a trip lever, said contact lever normally inclined from the perpendicular, and means sustaining the rock shaft and contact lever in normal position.

6. The combination with a motor and a rock shaft, of an actuating arm, an emergency brake release arm, a spring connecting said arms, a contact lever rigidly connected with one end of the said rock shaft, a spring coiled about the rock shaft with means for reinforcing and holding said shaft and contact lever, by augmented frictional contact, firmly against accidental displacement yet allowing the shaft and contact lever to yield and turn when the latter encounters a trip lever, said contact lever normally inclined from the perpendicular, means sustaining the rock shaft and contact lever in normal position, and means for limiting the extent of motion in one direction and the upward thrust of said contact lever.

, EDI/VIN F. ENGLAND.

Witnesses;

WM. G. MCCUNE,

JAY LEHRBAGH.

Copies 61 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

